While attending a play, not much thought is often spent on what goes into putting on such a production. A good play will leave the viewer thinking about the story and what it means to him or her personally, not how much time it took to paint the sets or design the lighting.

A great play will make all of these aspects run sinuously and flawless, not revealing to the audience the months of planning and production and long hours spent to bring to life what was once just a vision.

‘Assassins,’ this spring’s production presented by the SF State Department of Theatre Arts, is an example of a great play. Along with good acting, dark comedy and a bit of song and dance, this play has a tremendous energy and is one of the largest productions SF State has ever seen.

What makes this show such an undertaking is all the technical aspects. Along with 18 actors, the show incorporates the use of smoke, gunshots –real guns with real blank bullets, - a movie screen, a nine piece orchestra, 30-foot-tall hand painted murals, a huge turn table and last but certainly not least, each actor is wired with a mic pack.

Not to mention the 17 set changes, where you are instantly jumped from one decade-or century- to another.

Patrick Naylon, the play’s stage manager, is in charge of making sure everything gets done and the show runs smoothly. It is two days before opening night, and one hour before a full dress rehearsal. To watch Naylon run around making sure everything is intact and ready to go, it is obvious where the crew gets its energy.

Naylon explains that most of the previous plays at SF State have featured a unit set, a set that remains on stage the duration of the play.

“We have been building the sets all semester,” says Naylon, in the brief minute he is able to stop and take a breath. “We have 17 scenes and in each scene everything changes. That’s the biggest thing that makes our play different from those in the past.”

Naylon runs up to the production desk and puts on his headset. “Attention, it is 6:15, forty-five minutes to go time,” his voice booms for everyone in the theatre to hear.

There are about 50 people on stage, dressed completely in black, some drilling, some setting up the orchestra pit, some moving sets in to place, but all are talking a mile a minute, laughing and at one point break into a campy rendition of “Lean on Me.”

Carlos Aguilar, assistant scenic designer, says the process of putting on a production of this magnitude is a bit overwhelming.

“It’s overwhelming to have planned out scenery of this size and scale and have maybe less than two months to put it all together,” says Aguilar. “It’s satisfying to look at the stage and all that we have done.”

The play is an “imaginary biography of the 11 men and two women who attempted or succeeded in assassinating an American president,” as put by Aguilar.

Aguilar says the audience will find themselves laughing at stuff that usually isn’t so funny.

“The play is so twisted, in a good way, you’ll laugh at stuff that shouldn’t be funny,” Aguilar says with a grin, gazing at the craziness on stage. “The play will make you laugh at people killing people and botching up assassinations, it’s great.”

Ginger Dunnill, production scenic artist, says ‘Assassins’ is a great way to get experience putting on a large production with the cushion of doing it at school, and being able to get input from teachers who have real world experience in theatre.

“It’s cool to do it at school and actually be able to mess up,” says Dunnill. “We are working with great, influential teachers, so when we mess up, they’ll give us their opinion and we can fix the problem and do it better the next take.”

Overhead, Naylon chimes in like he almighty voice from above, “Attention, it is 6:30, half hour to go time people, good work.”

“Doing this play makes me visualize going into this field and being successful,” Dunnill adds as she walks off to check the sets.

Another intricate aspect of the play, which is also prevalent at concerts and in movies, is the lighting. Lauren McCullough, lighting designer, says designing the lights for the show is like piecing together a puzzle.

“It was tough figuring out what I wanted to do, but no matter how much planning I did, once I actually got into the space, it was a whole other story,” says McCullough. “The fun part is actually seeing your vision come to light.”

“Ten minutes until go time,” announces Naylon, as the curtains on stage lower and more of the tech crew begin taking their places backstage for the dress rehearsal.

Owen Carlson, the sound crew head, sums up the production process in one word: insanity.

“Anything that can go wrong, of course, will go wrong, it shouldn’t be this crazy ten minutes before a rehearsal,” says Carlson. He is in charge of all the sound used in the show, from microphones to sound clips.

“Sound in this venue is the embodiment of Murphy’s Law,” says Carlson as he moves toward the production desk to double check all mics are working.

“Ok, actors take your places, its show time,” Naylon announces, anxious to get the rehearsal going.

‘Assassins’ is filled with talent, onstage and backstage. The actors are so funny and you come to love them by the end of the play. The last two scenes are absolutely amazing, they will make you want to come back the next night and watch it all over again.

If you missed opening weekend, you still have a chance to see the play. ‘Assassins’ will be playing through May 9 in McKenna Theatre. Stop by the box office for ticket information or go to www.collegeofcreativearts.com.